A Moment of Shocking Clarity
by secretsecrettunnel
Summary: aka Three Times Robin Almost Kissed Starfire for the First Time and One Time That He Did. Winning entry for Kryalla Orchid and Star of Airdrie's Rob/Star First Kiss Contest 2011.


This is an entry for **Kryalla Orchid and Star of Airdrie's Robin and Starfire's First Kiss Writing Contest**. Tadaaaaaaaaa.

Disclaimers and warnings: I don't own anything. Nothing at all. Scottish scented English here as well, though I don't think I've thrown in any och aye the noo's.

…

**A Moment of Shocking Clarity**

_aka Three Times Robin Almost Kissed Starfire for the First Time and One Time That He Did_

One

It had been a long day, Robin thought as they settled on the couch. The TV was tuned into some mindless sitcom that didn't really require anyone's full attention – they were all just glad for the moment of respite and calm. Four robberies, three muggings and Mungo trying to pull a fast one had really taken it out the Titans that day.

And that was before Beast Boy and Cyborg had tried to glue his motorcycle helmet onto Robin's head.

Cyborg had been the first to retire for the night, his battery cells beeping insistently when he refused to get up. He had sighed and grumbled about not wanting to walk another step as he left the Operations room.

The young changeling had followed next when he had started to yawn so much that his ears were popping. Beast Boy had wished everyone a sleep sounding goodnight as he had stumbled from the room, his eyes half shut and his whole body slumped.

Raven had left the room as Starfire had yawned daintily and moved her position on the sofa. The half demon had smiled to herself as she watched her friend snuggle against their leader – the smug grin on Robin's face had almost sent Raven in to a fit of hysteric giggles.

Robin had been perched on the sofa next to the armrest with Starfire sitting next to him, sharing a bowl of snacks as they had watched the television. As they had all grown tired and the sky had darkened outside she had slowly inched her way over to Robin. Sleepiness had finally overtaken the alien girl and she had fallen asleep against her human pillow before Raven had even closed the door behind her.

The Boy Wonder could barely control himself as he felt himself sink down into the sofa in a haze of sleep and happiness. Something just felt so right about having Starfire curled against the side of his body and her head pillowed on his chest. He slowly moved his arm to wrap around her and sighed. Robin could get used to this – long evenings snuggled together, her sweet scent lifting through the air and enticing him.

He didn't even realised that he had followed Starfire into the land of dreams until he woke up, his mind confused at where he was until he heard a low murmuring noise from his chest. Robin looked down at the green eyes staring at him. He gave her a dreamy smile.

And she smiled at him. Her eyes were still heavy with sleep and Robin could see that she was fighting to keep her wonderful eyes open. Starfire raised a hand to cup his cheek, her soft skin rubbing lightly against the faint stubble of hair and she sighed, content.

This was Robin's chance. This was his chance to kiss her. To make a move. If now wasn't the right time then he really didn't know when would be. He raised his own hand and placed it over Starfire's own and she let out a soft murmur as her eyes rapidly fluttered. Robin smiled as he leaned in, tilting his head. He was so close. So so close. He could almost feel the brush of her lips against his own as she let out another small sigh. Robin pulled back slightly, to check with her that this was all ok – that this was what really wanted.

She was asleep again, her warm breath caressing his lips like a butterfly.

The moment was lost.

…

Two

The music was pounding through the room. The bass was probably turned down a little too low as the beats seemed to rattle his ribcage. Titans filled the Operations room of the tower, most clutching a drink in one hand as they talked (yelled) to each other and had a good time.

What Batman would say if he saw this was something Robin didn't really want to think about.

But Starfire was having a wonderful time. Her smile seemed to light up the room as she was danced from boy to boy, kind words loudly exchanged as she would move her hips. For the most part of the night, Robin had stood off to the side, smiling at the friends that would come up to him, holding conversations and sharing jokes, but his masked eyes never stopped watching her. Deciding that he would miss his chance to steal a dance, Robin moved towards the crowd of teenagers.

His arms first wrapped around Jinx as a lively pop song screeched from the speakers. Robin figured this was only fair since Kid Flash currently had Starfire spinning in some of the fastest footwork he had ever seen. Jinx had followed the line of his tilted head and chuckled, shaking her head as Kid Flash blurred out of sight for a moment with the alien girl before coming back with a sombrero on his head and a cowboy hat perched on the waterfall of red hair.

"Dude, no one told me this was a silly hat party!" Beast Boy's shrill call lifted a gale of laughter from the group of teens as their eyes turned towards the two redheads still spinning to the music.

Robin smiled as he passed Jinx off to Herald, his hands clasping with Bumblebee's. He watched as Starfire was caught in the grasp of Jericho, the two doing a strange dance to the loud crunk song now filling the room.

And so for the next half hour Starfire and Robin moved from dance partner to dance partner, passed from hand to hand. Subconsciously, or possibly consciously in Robin's case, they were moving closer towards each other, almost as though their bodies were two halves of a magnet.

Finally, _finally_, Robin managed had to pull Starfire towards him and into his waiting arms. She left out a delighted sigh as the music changed to an old Rat-Pack song – she wasn't sure if it was Frank Sinatra or not. The beat was slow and steady and Robin instantly directed their steps into a simple box step, one hand wrapped tightly around her waist and the other grasping hers tightly as he directed their bodies.

And they were so close. Starfire was looking at him, her eyes shining and a small smile pulling at the corners of her lips. Robin couldn't tear his veiled eyes away from her lips; the soft and plump skin just looked far too inviting.

He wanted to. He really wanted to lean closer, close his eyes and press his lips against hers. To feel her lips move against his would be bliss.

And Robin knew that she wanted to as well. It was no big secret. Sometimes he could almost hear her pleading just from the soulful looks she would give him. Starfire wouldn't push him away. He wouldn't push her away if she was to lean forward.

It was going to happen. The slow box step had stopped and they were just standing in the middle of the other lively teens, staring at each other. Starfire's tongued darted out and wet her lips as her gazed dropped to his mouth. Robin had begun to minutely lean in closer, his eyes had begun to slide shut.

The music stopped. The lights went out. But it wasn't an effect of their kiss – they weren't the only ones in the room and the world didn't stop spinning. Their lips never even met. Robin's eyes squeezed shut as he tried to suppress a sigh, his hands sliding away from Starfire's body as he stepped away.

"Happy birthday to you!" Cyborg had entered through the door, a huge cake balanced in his hands. The sparklers and candles seemed to light up the whole room as he made his way forward. The rest of the Titans were singing loudly, their eyes locked on the centre of the dancing area. "Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Starfire! Happy birthday to you!"

A round of cheers went up as she blew out the flames on top of the cake, a loud peel of laughter escaping her as the lighting returned to normal and a round of celebratory hugs started for the birthday girl.

Starfire caught Robin's eye over Speedy's shoulder as he gave her a tight hug. She smiled sadly before being whisked off into a many limbed cuddle with Spanish twins.

The moment was lost.

…

Three

When Robin had realised that she had never really experienced a true movie-style white Christmas he made a plan. He wanted to give Starfire that snow covered, tree in the middle of the city, Santa-ringing his bell for charity Christmas day out. The movies she had seen had left her disappointed when in Jump City, California it had been sunny on the first Christmas she had on Earth.

So he had made a few calls. One had been received with a happy voice, excited at the prospect of what he had in mind. The other had been full of sighs and hard looks through the video display.

But here they were, walking down the slippy street in Gotham City. Dick Grayson and Kori Anders, tightly wrapped in a dark navy and a white woollen jacket respectively.

Dick couldn't recall seeing anything more wonderful than her in his life, ever, at this moment. Sure, her alien features were hologramed carefully, but it was still his girl under there, still her expressions that flashed across her face and still her hair that the small flakes of snow fell into to create what looked like small diamonds through its length.

Kori had been a wonder all day, constantly surprising and impressing him as they had arrived and made their way through Gotham City at Christmas time. When they had arrived at the Bat Cave, she had given Alfred a huge hug, blabbering on about how it was an honour to meet him and how Robin had always spoken so highly of him. Alfred had remained typically British, his lips in a tight smile but his eyes shone as he glanced over at Dick and they shared a silent moment over the head of the alien girl. Alfred thought he had picked a wonderful girl.

Bruce Wayne had watched with a neutral expression on his face as his adopted son's… well he wasn't quite sure what she was to him, continued to converse with Alfred, a huge smile plastered on her face. Dick had pulled her away, his Robin mask tucked into a compartment on his belt quickly as he pulled out a small ring and passed it to Starfire. There had been a short introduction between Bruce and the hologramed alien girl before Dick had swept her off to the locker room and they had departed as the two civilians.

The early afternoon sunshine had disappeared into the inky blackness of winter's night. Overhead, the twinkling lights of decorated store-fronts drew Kori's attention and she would gasp and squeeze Dick's arm in excitement if she saw a display that really caught her fancy.

It truly was a winter wonderland as they entered the main shopping district in Gotham City. The square in the middle of the complex held the biggest Christmas tree Kori had ever seen and she couldn't help but squeal in delight.

"Oh, Richard, it is truly glorious," Kori whispered in his ear, her arms tightly wound around his arm. He had shivered. While the sensible part wanted to blame it on the cold wind and the snow melting in his hair, he knew it was because of how close she was. How wonderful she smelled. The way her breath had felt as it brushed against his ear. How absolutely amazing his name sounded as it had fallen from her lips.

It was then that he wanted it to finally happen. His mind was begging him to kiss her – to please, _please_, kiss her. Dick swallowed heavily a few times before he turned to look at her, watching the captivating expression on her face as she gazed at the tree in front of them. Kori was simply breathtaking.

And so he reached out his hand towards her face, gently cupping her still warm cheek with his cool and calloused palm. She had turned to Dick with a small smile on her face and she sighed happily as she dropped his other arm and rested a hand on his shoulder and used the other stroke the back of his neck.

Dick wrapped his other hand around her waist leaned towards her, resting his forehead against hers for a moment and just looking into her eyes. With the snow still falling around them and the twinkling lights he could think of no better time to finally kiss her. He closed his eyes and tilted Kori's head slightly, drawing her face closer to his.

And then she had turned so quickly and disappeared from his arms that he thought he was dreaming. Dick noted with a wry grin that the carollers had set up while they had been seeing only each other and that the lure of Christmas songs was just too much for the redhead. Kori had heard their opening lines only seconds before their lips were to touch and couldn't resist turning to watch.

Dick approached with a sad sigh before slinging an arm around Kori's slim waist. She mouthed sorry before her attention was once against stolen by the group of singers by the tree.

The moment was lost.

…

Four

A moment of shocking clarity is how one might describe it. It happened so naturally. It was definitely not forced and nothing like one of those cheesy after school specials.

The first kiss Robin and Starfire shared had been so simple and so _expected_ that Robin wasn't sure why he had ever tried to plan for the perfect moment. Or why he had been so wound up when the moments that had presented themselves hadn't worked out the way he wanted.

He was going to Gotham City for a few days. The Batman had called and Robin had answered. It was just going to be a quick take down, and as Robin had explained, the Batman didn't trust anyone to help him do it but the Boy Wonder (though Robin had confided in Starfire later on, out of earshot of their friends, that he was sure it was probably because he was the only one who could bend and twist through such awkward and tight spaces).

Robin had said goodbye to the other Titans in the Operations room, knowing that Starfire would follow him to the garage to bid farewell. She had fretted like a mother-hen as they walked through the tower, asking him if he had remembered to pack his toothbrush, his comb, did he have enough socks to last the next few days?

He had chuckled as he through his bag into his separated pod of the T-Ship and Starfire had hit him lightly with a huff of breath. Robin turned back to her and shook his head with a huge grin on his face and she had giggled in reply.

"I'll be fine Star," Robin said as he placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly before she pulled him into a tight hug. "Alfred's probably knitting me new socks as we speak."

"Do not be mean," Starfire replied through her high pitched chuckles. She pulled back lightly and placed a hand on his chest, a soft smile playing on the corner of her lips.

"I'll be back in three days, alright?" Robin raised a hand to cup her face as she nodded in reply. He gave her a tender smile and, without even thinking, leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers.

They kissed for a few moments before pulling away from each other. Robin vaulted up in to the pod and closed the capsule lid. With a quick wave of his hand he powered up the engines and was out of the underground garage before either of them had really even realised what had happened.

They had simply said goodbye, their lips brushing against each other as though it was nothing out of the ordinary. Starfire had raised a finger to trace her lips for a moment before smiling and heading back to the Operations centre to share a cup of tea with Raven. Robin had just smiled lightly to himself as he sped through the darkening night sky.

The moment had been perfect.

…

Definitely a fairly different writing style to what I normally do, but I think it all turned out ok in the end, don't you? This is also technically unfinished – I had drafted out five different scenes, but the other two just never panned out how I planned (and I ran out of time). I might try and re-write them and post them up later.

Written between writing two essays, a presentation and answering numerical questions on personal financial planning. Oh and a 15 article literature review. And reading about bookkeeping history from 1200 – 1900. Needless to say, this little piece has been what's kept me going this last month. Oh hey, did I mention I worked full time this last 3 out of 4 weeks as well? Blah.

I still have a few things in the works including something in a similar structure to this, tentatively titled "Five Alien Traits Robin Knew About Starfire and One He Didn't". Please have a look at my profile for more work in progress info about everything.


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